Someone's opinion on government assistance

[Panacea]

http://www.mrconservative.com/2012/01/letters-from-21-female/

Saw this floating around facebook this morning. What do you think of it's content?

 

[CityGirl]

More interesting than the post are the responses.

 

[Panacea]

Aren't humans funny creatures?

 

[HK]

I can see the sense in regulating what someone spends their welfare on, especially when there are children involved.


But I don't think it's anyone's business to go selling your stuff for 'the common good'. We have a TV some would consider too large, but we bought and paid for that when we were both working and could afford it. Additionally, the idea that people on welfare are only there because of 'bad choices' is a little naive - I spent three months claiming benefits early last year because I was redundant. I'd had that job for four years and there was no suggestion it was in trouble until suddenly it was.

When people think 'harsher measures for people on welfare' it seems like they're always thinking about the scum who drain the system and have no interest in working. Yeah, those people exist. But in this day and age, with the way things are, there are so many who just victims of bad circumstance. It doesn't seem fair to say 'oh, you didn't realise when you took this job nine years ago that they one day wouldn't be able to afford you? Too bad, we're selling your stereo'.

 

[Panacea]

I agree, HK, I can't remember who said it, but the "make it uncomfortable to be on assistance" thing has merits but also problems. It's already embarrassing and demeaning and a struggle for those with integrity.

What does a country DO with it's citizens who drain resources in the manner this person is assuming? I don't think you can trick someone into being a productive citizen...I just don't know if anything good ever comes from it.

 

[porterjack]

is Ted Nugent releasing a new album?

 

[Tim]

When people think 'harsher measures for people on welfare' it seems like they're always thinking about the scum who drain the system and have no interest in working. Yeah, those people exist. But in this day and age, with the way things are, there are so many who just victims of bad circumstance. It doesn't seem fair to say 'oh, you didn't realise when you took this job nine years ago that they one day wouldn't be able to afford you? Too bad, we're selling your stereo'.

You hit this on the head... I 100% agree with you here.

People don't realize that the vast majority of people accepting welfare/government assistance are short term. People who found themselves in trouble through no/little fault of their own.

 

[HK]

What does a country DO with it's citizens who drain resources in the manner this person is assuming? I don't think you can trick someone into being a productive citizen...I just don't know if anything good ever comes from it.

It's a difficult question, and like you say, you can't just magically transform someone into a good citizen. Some people will always find a way around the system, whatever you do. So do you create harsher and harsher conditions to try and flush out the minority, or do you focus on making a workable system for those who just need help getting back on their feet?

And yes, it's already a humiliating process. The woman who did my fortnightly check-in at the job centre (who deal with benefits claims) was so patronising and dismissive when I went that on two separate occasions I got outside and burst into tears. You already feel like shit even having to be there, the attitude just made it worse.

 

[Panacea]

It's a difficult question, and like you say, you can't just magically transform someone into a good citizen. Some people will always find a way around the system, whatever you do. So do you create harsher and harsher conditions to try and flush out the minority, or do you focus on making a workable system for those who just need help getting back on their feet?

And yes, it's already a humiliating process. The woman who did my fortnightly check-in at the job centre (who deal with benefits claims) was so patronising and dismissive when I went that on two separate occasions I got outside and burst into tears. You already feel like shit even having to be there, the attitude just made it worse.

Exactly. We lose sight of the aim of these programs, I think, when we forget about the good people who need them and focus only on the scum who use them as a job. I think those people are going to find another way to screw others over (with crime or violence or more fraud), so it becomes important to analyze the facts.

 

[banned]

Scum are those who think we need to get rid of it becouse of the scum.

 

[Johnfromokc]

http://www.mrconservative.com/2012/01/letters-from-21-female/

Saw this floating around facebook this morning. What do you think of it's content?

The author comes across as a snot nosed little twit. Sadly, this attitude is quite common among unthinking conservatives. Why do these asshats come after the poorest among us, yet ignore corporate welfare and the fucking the working class is getting from the American oligarchy?

We do need to make work more attractive than welfare. That's why I advocate for a living wage law. With minimum wage in the United States at $7.25 an hour it's pretty discouraging tring to pay rent, food, child care and maintain a vehicle to get back and forth to work.

Our system is broken and needs fixing - but screwing the working class with trickle down poverty is not the answer. Coddling the wealthiest among us, as we have been doing the last 30 years has failed. But these conservatives answer is always to fuck the poorest even more and letting the wealthiest "keep more of what they earn".

 

[banned]

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/01/11/402872/warren-buffett-gop-deficit/?mobile=nc